Compound removal tool

ABSTRACT

A hand tool is disclosed herein for removing caulking having a cutting head attached to one end of a handle. The cutting head includes a pair of converging sidewalls terminating in a rounded section wherein the opposing surfaces of the sidewalls define an elongated, open-ended passageway for accommodating the collection and dispersal of caulking and debris. A portion of the cutting head provides a pair of rearward sloping cutting edges so that a forward pointed end is provided for initially dislodging previously installed grout, caulking or the like. Power mechanism may be employed to automatically operate the tool cutting head, if desired.

United States Patent 1 91 1111 3,892,039

Fisher July 1, 1975 l l COMPOUND REMOVAL TOOL Primary Examiner-Donald G. Kelly [76] Inventor: Fred w. Fisher, 6207 Costello Ave, Aswan B Parker Van Nuys, Calm 9401 Attorney, Agent. or FrrmRoger A4 Marrs l l PP N05 4341866 A hand tool is disclosed herein for removing caulking having a cutting head attached to one end of a handle. {52' Us. 0 30/279 R; 30/280; 30/3; The cutting head includes a pair of converging side- 172/13 walls terminating in a rounded section wherein the op- 1511 1m. (:1 .1 B26b 3/00 Posing Surfaces of the sidewalls define elongated- [58] Field of Search 30/171, 172, 279 R, 280, Open-ended passageway for accommmlmlng the 30/294, 3 l7, 3 l4, l2l', 172/13 376; 7/14.! A lection and dispersal of caulking and debris. A portion of the cutting head provides a pair of rearward sloping [56' References Cited cutting edges so that a forward pointed end is pro- UNITED STATES PATENTS vided for initially dislodging previously installed grout.

. caulking or the like. Power mechanism may be em- 97LUOO 9/l9l0 Flemmg l72/l3 ployed to automaticauy Operate the Cutting head l,0l8,073 Nelson v t l s t 1. X dag-"ed 2,254,021 8/l94l Sessoms H 30/280 X 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 COMPOUND REMOVAL TOOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to caulking removal tools and more particularly to a novel hand tool having an openended passageway for conducting removed caulking therethrough.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art It is a conventional practice in constructing buildings to install window frames, door frames, or the like in the wall structure of the building. The walls are finished by installing a sealing compound such as caulking, grout or the like at the interface junction between the wall material and the frame. The sealing compound is introduced under pressure so as to flow into various cracks and openings where it hardens after a curing period. The caulking or putty occupies the cracks, openings and spaces between the wall material and the frame so that an integral and unitary appearance is presented to the exterior surface and finish of the building.

However, after many years of weathering has lapsed, the caulking or putty material becomes brittle and has a tendency to fall out of place or at least to shrink so as to cause additional surface cracks or openings between the door and window frames and the surrounding wall material. Obviously. this is disadvantageous since rain and other inclimate weather will further deteriorate the sealing compound which opens the cracks and eventually adversely effects the building construction.

Therefore, it has been a conventional practice to periodically remove the previously installed caulking or putty and to reinstall new sealing material to occupy the interface between the wall surface material and the frame. For this achievement, conventional tools have been employed to remove the caulking or putty which generally comprise a hook which is manually and repeatedly drawn over the caulking or putty to be removed. At each pass, a certain amount of the caulking is removed.

Although this will eventually remove all the caulking or putty, it is inefficient and sometimes an ineffective method of caulking removal since the caulking tools are solid and the removed caulking ahead of the tool as it is being pulled over a strip of caulking collects against the front face of the tool and causes the binding or jamming to occur. Also, the gathering of the removed caulking ahead of the tool obscures the operators view so that it is difficult to move the caulking tool in the desired direction. In effect, the conventional tools are no more than ripping or gouging tools which operate on a principle of tearing or shearing the material away from its installed or bedded position.

Therefore, a longstanding need has existed to provide a hand tool for removing previously installed sealing compound which will not obscure vision and which will conduct the removed caulking or putty away from the tool rather than to permit collection of the removed material ahead of the tool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the above difficulties and problems are obviated by the present invention which provides a novel hand tool having a cutting head secured to one end of a handle. The cutting head is hollow and includes converging sidewalls wherein the opposing surfaces define a passageway through which removed sealing compound is conducted and maintained away from the advancing direction of the tool. The connection of the converging sidewalls is formed into base having opposite cutting points defined by rearwardly sloping edges of the sidewall whereby the tool may be readily forced into the caulking or putty under manual pressure. Power means may be employed for activating the cutting head at the convenience of the operator.

Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention to provide a novel hand tool for removing sealing materials such as caulking or putty from a previous installation whereby the removed material is conducted through a hollow open-ended passageway within the tool.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel hand tool having a cutting head formed of sheet metal bent into a V-configuration so that the opposite sidewalls of the head form a hollow passageway and further including sloping edges defining a pair of opposite points for initially engaging with the caulking or putty to be removed.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel tool for removing caulking or putty from a previous installation which is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use and which may be Operated manually or by power hand tools.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel caulking removal tool that may be drawn through the work and making a removal cut so that removed material is not collected ahead of the cutting tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the novel caulking removing tool of the present invention shown in a typical installation;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the novel caulking removal tool of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1 showing the cutting head in crosssection to expose the passageway;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the caulking removal tool as shown in the direction of arrow 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the present invention useful in connection with a power means; and

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the cutting head shown in FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring in detail to FIG. I, the novel caulking removing tool of the present invention is illustrated in the general direction of arrow 10. The tool is illustrated in connection with the removal of a previously installed strip of caulking or putty 11 which occupies an opening or slot 12 normally existing between a window frame 13 and an external wall covering 14. The wall covering may take form of conventional materials such as plaster or stucco. In this application, it is understood that the caulking or putty 11 has been installed for a consider able period of time and that it has hardened and that it is desirable to be removed so that fresh caulking may be installed. It is not the intent of the present invention to increase the size of the opening or slot 12 and it is not intended to remove portions of the frame or wall material. In fact, it is the intent of the present invention to only remove the caulking and to maintain the original dimensions of the opening.

The tool for cutting and removing putty or caulking in accordance with this invention may be formed from any suitable stock but is preferably formed from light sheet metal. such as steel, of a quality having necessary strength for rigidity and having the capacity for holding at least a blunt cutting edge.

In general, the tool comprises a handle or elongated shaft 15 having a cutting head 16 carried on the end thereof. The cutting head includes a forward portion 17 and a rear portion 18 whereby the tool may be pushed through a strip of caulking to be removed or it may be pulled or drawn through the strip. As illustrated, the tool is so formed that the rear portion 18 includes a cutting edge 20 which is on the line of stress or pull applied to the tool in its operation and, at the same time, so formed that the cutting edge will be in an angular relationship to the line of pull or stress. In other words, the front portion and the rear portion of the cutting head are formed with projecting noses and the plane of the cutting edges extending to form acute angles with the line of pull or push stresses.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the tool 10 is being pulled or drawn downwardly so that the cutting edge and nose of the rear portion 18 engaged with and cut through the caulking or putty. As the cutting edge separates the putty or caulking, a continuous strip of removed material is formed and is indicated by numeral 21. The continuous strip is conducted through an open-ended passageway through the cutting head 16 so that the material is collected and disposed of behind the cutting edge and the cutting nose of the rear portion 18. This is a distinct advantage to the invention inasmuch as the material does not collect ahead of the cutting edge where it would normally bind, join or obstruct the operators vision.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cutting head 16 is secured to the extreme end of handle 15 and the idrection of the continuous strip of removed caulking is indicated by arrows 22. Rear portion 18 includes cutting edge 20 and a nose 23 while the forward portion 17 includes a cutting edge 24 with a nose 25. It is to be noted that the noses 23 and 25 are formed on the extreme end of a sheet metal member by sloping the cutting edges 20 and 24 rearwardly of the respective noses. For example, cutting edge 20 slopes away from nose 23 while cutting edge 24 slopes away from nose 25. As shown in FIG. 3, an open-ended central passageway is defined by the opposing wall surfaces of the sheet metal member. The opposing wall surfaces of the cutting edge are indicated by numeral 30 and 31 respectively and these walls converge to form the noses 23 and 25. The cutting edge may be of any desired form as curved or V- shaped. However, as illustrated. the nose of the tool is formed by bending the sheet metal member so that the opposite walls form an open-ended continuous passageway therebetween and the form of the tool head is in a V-form in cross section as shown in FIG. 3.

It is to be understood that the tool may be employed by pushing so that nose 25 and cutting edge 24 are effective in removing the caulking material. In this instance, the continuous material is conducted or flows opposite to the direction of arrow 22. When the tool is drawn as shown in FIG. 1 through the caulking material, cutting edge 20 and nose 23 are effected in removing the material.

The construction of cutting head 16 is preferably from a single piece of sheet metal material which is bent to form a base indicated by numeral 32 constituting a linear portion extending the full length of a cutting head. The noses 23 and 25 are formed by angular forming cutting edges 22 and 24 respectively so that the noses are relatively sharp and pointed. The upper portion of the cutting head includes an attachment portion 33 which is suitably welded or fastened to a flatened portion 34 of the handle 15.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 respectively, another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated which includes a cutting head 40 having an open-ended continuous passage therethrough for accommodating the conduction or flowing of removed caulking or putty material. The cutting 40 includes a forward cutting edge 41 and a sharp nose 42 substantially similar to the noses and cutting edges previously described. However, the cutting head 40 is to be used in connection with power tools such as a pneumatic hand tool wherein the shaft 43 fits into the chuck of the power tool. When power is applied to the tool, a reciprocating action ensues which pushes the cutting head back-andforth in the direction of arrow 44.

In operation, the handle 15 carrying the cutting head 16 will be held in the hand of the operator and the nose 23 will enter the caulking material 11. The tool is drawn or pulled by the operator to effect incision of the surface of, for example, the installed strip of caulking or putty 11.

Due to the various angular relationships of the cutting edge of the nose of the tool, the plane of the cutting edge in the opening or facing of the nose, the tool will readily enter the caulking or putty and when entered to a desired depth will tend to maintain its position as it is drawn through the work to effect the incising of a line or groove or in the routing out of the caulking or putty.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

I. A tool for removing sealing compound or the like comprising the combination of:

an elongated handle;

a tool head fixly secured to one end of said handle;

said tool head comprising:

a body having a substantially V-shaped cross section sidewalls formed with an open-ended passageway extending along its entire length for accommodating a continuous strip of removed sealing compound;

said body further provided with at least two pointed ends defined by upwardly, angularly sloping cutting edges leading toward said one end of the handle;

said body is composed of a thin-walled sheet folded about a base line extending along the center of said head and constituting the apex of said V-shaped cross section whereby said two pointed ends are defined at the opposite ends of said base line lying in the plane of longitudinal center axis of said head and are defined by cutting edges upwardly diverging from said two pointed ends respectively;

said open-ended passageway is defined by the interior opposing surfaces of said sidewalls of said body;

said body further includes an outwardly flared attachment portion interconnecting said sidewalls to said handle; and

said cutting edges extending from each of said two pointed end and said base line are angularly disposed with respect to each other.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle is adapted for connection with a suitable power means.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said base line is substantially longer than said attachment portion.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said handle is angularly disposed with respect to said base line.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said pointed ends provide encise means for initially separating sealing compound from its bed so as to form said continuous strip of removed sealing compound.

i I. i I i 

1. A tool for removing sealing compound or the like comprising the combination of: an elongated handle; a tool head fixly secured to one end of said handle; said tool head comprising: a body having a substantially V-shaped cross section sidewalls formed with an open-ended passageway extending along its entire length for accommodating a continuous strip of removed sealing compound; said body further provided with at least two pointed ends defined by upwardly, angularly sloping cutting edges leading toward said one end of the handle; said body is composed of a thin-walled sheet folded about a base line extending along the center of said head and constituting the apex of said V-shaped cross section whereby said two pointed ends are defined at the opposite ends of said base line lying in the plane of longitudinal center axis of said head and are defined by cutting edges upwardly diverging from said two pointed ends respectively; said open-ended passageway is defined by the interior opposing surfaces of said sidewalls of said body; said body further includes an outwardly flared attachment portion interconnecting said sidewalls to said handle; and said cutting edges extending from each of said two pointed end and said base line are angularly disposed with respect to each other.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle is adapted for connection with a suitable power means.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said base line is substantially longer than said attachment portion.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said handle is angularly disposed with respect to said base line.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said pointed ends provide encise means for initially separating sealing compound from its bed so as to form said continuous strip of removed sealing compound. 